“Postal Registration No.: “Regd. with the Registarar of News Papers under TN/CH(C)/102/09-11” RNI No.: TNENG/2006/17597”

Dear Friends,

One more financial year is coming to an end. Personally I have been riding on “two horses”, In , April-March is the financial year. By running at top speed, one Sevalaya and the the end of March this year, we will be submitting other my profession. It is a personal mile stone our 21st annual accounts for audit. Looking back that this year I am completing 25 years in my at all the years and the financial figures gives profession. I have read somewhere that one us immense satisfaction. Whatever was the should be a student for the initial 20-22 years total annual income in the very first year is our of one’s life, be engaged in a profession for daily income today. That is about 365 times the next 25 years and then spend the rest of increase in revenue in 21 years. But the growth life in doing free service to society. Now I am in our activities have shown much more increase entering the third phase. and this growth in income has been rendered insufficient. From supporting 5 children in the There has been requests from different forums first year to support 1000 children now, is a of voluntary organizations asking me to spend straight 200 times increase. In addition, we have an old age home with 60 inmates, craft more time on helping many other like minded centre, library, small medical centre, cultural organizations to grow, taking my experience in activities etc., and all put together account for running Sevalaya. I feel the time is nearing for more than 365 times increase in expenses. me to dismount from one horse, and may be Added to this, there is the all important inflation increase the time I am spending in the public factor too! activities; spend more time with many other voluntary organisations who need help in But this is a good problem to have! We are management; fund raising; problem solving; able to continuously expand our activities and etc. I am contemplating on this line for quite keep us under financial pressure all the time! some time. The benefit reaches more and more people; we see more and more smiling faces, more And very soon I may have to become a full and more families coming out of poverty, what timer in directly serving the society. more do we need as a return on investment? Thanks & Regards Do we stop here and relax? Can we take a Murali break? Yes, we would like to, but there are more and more kids knocking at our doors, waiting to get the benefit of free quality education. The phones keep ringing asking us if we can take one more old lady or an old man lying on the city streets. So where do we draw the line and say this is enough? And we also have grand plans to start our own free university very soon, increase the capacity of the existing school and try and replicate Sevalaya in other parts of India. All this, no doubt, needs more funds, but more important, we need committed service minded workers to National Knowledge Commission’s take this forward. “out reach” program at Sevalaya

March 2009 / Love All Serve All Page 1 One day workshop on “Volunteering National Knowledge Commission’s in Social Service Organisations” “out reach” program at TAFVA at Sevalaya

Events External Events On 07/02/2009, Mr.Muthiah Ramanathan, On 07/01/2009, Ms. Bhuvaneswari Director, Mind Dynamics centre, popular Muralidharan, Hony. Correspondent Sevalaya psychologist & Counselling Specialist conducted was a special invitee at the function organized a one day workshop for college students on by Lioness Club of Temple Bay to celebrate “Volunteering in Social Service Organisations”. National Youth Day at the Govt. Girls High Inaugurating the programme, School, Usman road, T. Nagar, Chennai and Ms. C.Vijayalakshmi, Chief Educational Officer spoke on Vivekananda and the youth. of Thiruvallur District said that they alone live who live for others and one can enjoy true In the weekly programme on Bharathi, unalloyed happiness when one serves others. Gandhi, Vivekananda at prision II, She told the college students to fully utilize Mr. T.S.Venkataramani, Hony. Coordinator the golden opportunity being provided by spoke on “Vivekanandar’s Life History on Sevalaya. Nearly 100 students from various 07/02/2009. Ms. Bhuvaneswari Muralidharan, colleges participated in this programme. Hony. Correspondent spoke on “Bharathiyar Life History” on 14/02/2009, 85 school students from Bala Vidya Mandir Mr. A. Annamalai, Advisory Committee Senior Secondary School, Adyar visited Member, Sevalaya spoke on Gandhiji’s “Truth Sevalaya on 14/02/2009. and Non-violence” on 21/02/2009 and Vetri Vidiyal Srinivasan spoke on “Vivekananda’s National Knowledge Commission, an advisory guru Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsar”, on body to the Prime Minister of India, is 28/02/2009. organising an “out reach” program to meet the heads of the schools in each district and explain the commission’s recommendations The 30 session course on Bharathi, Gandhi in the area of reforms in School Education. and Vivekananda coordinated by Sevalaya In this connection, Sevalaya took the lead to was inaugurated on 21/02/2009 at the Vellore organize the first of such program in India, Central Jail at 11.00 am by Mr. R.Duraisamy for the schools in Thiruvallur District, on M.A., DIG Prisons, Chennai Range and 27/02/2009 at Sevalaya service centre. Mr. N.Sekar, Superintendent, Vellore Central Mr. M.Kutralingam (Secretary, Education Jail. Mr. G.Ram Mohan, Retd. Railway Safety Department), Ms. C.Vijayalakshmi (Chief Commissioner and a Gandhian Scholar Educational officer, Thiruvallur) and Ms. Tisca presented a one hour slide show on the Life Chopra, Hindi Film Artiste) were the Chief of Mahatma Gandhi which was well received guests on the occasion. Dr. Sujatha by the audience. Ramadorai (Member, National Knowledge Commission made a presentation on the On 21/02/2009, V.Muralidharan, Founder & Commission’s recommendations. 150 Managing Trustee, Sevalaya was a guest Headmasters and Others from Thiruvallur speaker at the function, organised by Jamat- District participated on the programme. E-Islamic Hind, on Quran for world peace.

March 2009 / Chennai Love All Serve All Page 2 Mr. V.Muralidharan distributing Mr. A.Annamalai speaking on Bharathiyar Poem books to Puzhal Gandhiji’s Truth & Non-violence Prison II inmates at Puzhal Prision II

Sevalaya put up a Stall at the MoP Bazaar at on “Advices to children” (Tamil) by MoP Vaishnav College, Chennai on 21 & Mr. Umapathi. On 21/02/2009, S.Shanthi 22/02/2009. shared her thoughts on “Jawaharlal Nehru” by Mr. Sarathi. On 27/02/2009, V.Muralidharan, Founder & Managing Trustee participated in the National Tour & Picnic Knowledge Commission’s Outreach On 04/02/2009, students from 9th std. were Programme for NGO’s working in the field of taken to Poondi Reservoir and Thiruvallur Sri education, organised by TAFVA. Veeraraghava Perumal temple. In the Air… Temple Visit An interview with Mr. T.S.Venkataramani, On 06/02/2009, Hostel boys went to Hony. Coordinator was broadcast at MoP Ramanathapuram Vinayagar Temple and the Vaishnav’s Community FM, on 21/02/2009. hostel girls went to Shiva and Medical Checkup Anchaneya Temple. On 13/02/2009 hostel On 06/02/2009, eye checkup for the senior boys went to Ramanathapuram Vinayagar citizens at Sevalaya’s old age home was done temple and on 20/02/2009, hostel girls went by Agarwal eye hospital, Chennai. to Ramanathapuram Vinayagar temple. On 24/02/2009, the 12th Std. Students went to On 14/02/2009, Leo Club Pakkam Shiva and Anchaneya Temple and organised an eye checkup by Aravind Sai Eye offered Prayers for success in Public Hospital for the residents of old age home examination. and school students of Sevalaya. Visits to other schools NSS Activities On 06/02/2009, 13/02/2009 and 20/02/2009 On 06/02/2009, Sevalaya NSS students went our school teaching staff went to Navadisha to Lord Shiva temple at Puliyur for cleaning Montessori School, , Chennai for the temple premises. Observation. Staff Book Review The 30 session course on Bharathi, On 07/02/2009, Mr.J.Rajaraman spoke on Gandhi and Vivekananda coordinated “Bharathi A World Poet” (Tamil) by Prof. by Sevalaya at the Vellore Central Jail Vanangamudi. “Bharathiyar Essays” by Bharathiyar was taken up for discussion by Ms. Sumathi on 14/02/2009. On 21/02/2009, Ms. Meenakshi shared her views on “Lessons from Bharathiyar Essays” and on 28/02/2009, Ms. Latha spoke on “Wealth of Ettayapuram” by Ponnammal.

Students Study Circle On 14/02/2009, E.Govindaraj shared his views

March 2009 / Chennai Love All Serve All Page 3 He who treaded with Gandhiji We had the fortune of coming across a “vintage” During the Dandi March Gandhiji used to apply paste book on Gandhiji. It was written by T.S.Avinasilingam of clay on his pate to ward off heat. One daily, inimical Chettiar and was published in 1951 by Tamil Pannai. to Gandhiji commented, “Gandhiji has clay both on The title is “The Mahatma I saw”. The 220 odd paged and inside his head.” Gandhiji seemed to enjoy this book was priced Rs.4/-. The book, needless to say, as a joke. must be out of print now. We had to carefully thumb through the yellowish worn out pages lest they should Chettiar had traveled widely with Gandhiji, and has crumble. marveled his ways with women who were only too eager to part with all their jewels at the call of Gandhiji Avinasilingam Chettiar, a scholar, educationist and for the Harijan Fund. It looked as if they had been Finance Minister in the erstwhile Madras Presidency hypnotized. Chettiar had jokingly called Gandhiji as has been influenced in his life and thoughts by Jewel Thief! Mahatma Gandhi and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. He claims that out of Crores of people who had been It was at Coonoor. Mr. Malkani, Dr. T. S. S. Rajan, influenced by Gandhiji, he is among a few thousands, Dr.G.Ramachandran, Mr.Chettiar and a host of others who had been benefited by close proximity and were dining. After the dinner, servants had thrown personal experiences with Gandhiji. the used leaves carelessly, and they were found strewn about over the whole passage. Gandhiji on We have several biographies to know about major seeing this suddenly bent down and started cleaning events in Gandhiji’s life. Chettiar also shares with us the place. Others including the VIPs and servants were such events. But what we thought we should share with our readers is smaller events of life which shocked and ashamed, and took over the chore from Chettiar had been privileged to experience with him. Gandhiji. A small incident, when a cheque issued by Chettiar He saw Mahatma in 1919 when the latter was had to be deferred for payment by bank, brought addressing a Public Meeting in . There Chettiar the disapproval of Gandhiji. “I know it is your was no loud speaker and Gandhiji was addressing a contribution, and the sum is small for you. Yet you crowd of 50 to 60 thousand people who were listening had no funds in the Bank at the moment of writing to him with rapt attention in pin-drop silence. Gandhiji the cheque. As a public servant, you should be above was talking about Khadi. The intellectuals in the board and set an example for others” Gandhiji meeting were skeptic about wearing a sack-cloth admonished. bringing freedom to India. But the common men were impressed and were willing to implicitly obey Gandhiji. Gandhiji was staying in a small village Segan, renamed Avinasilingam Chettiar, as a student, from that very Sevagram due to Gandhiji’s association. It is a few day switched over to Khadi. miles off from Wardha Station.Chettiar landed at Wardha station, and was taken by Ariyanayagam to Gandhiji was having a strategic meeting with Rajaji, his residence at Wardha. It was pouring cats and Patel and other workers about organizing the salt dogs, and there was no way of reaching Sevagram. Satyagraha. Dandi was roughly 250 miles from Ariyanayagam and Chettiar were looking from the Sabarmathi. How to reach that place? Suggestions window, and they spotted two persons sheltered by came that they could go by train, or Motor. Pros and a single umbrella walking towards Wardha. Was one Cons were being discussed. Gandhiji suddenly, to the of them Gandhiji? “Yes” said Ariyanayagam; “He is surprise of all, announced that he would walk the coming to meet a sick person at Maganwadi who had whole distance. expressed his desire to see Gandhiji.”

This stand of 64 year old Gandhiji was puzzling, and Any comment on this incident will be only an people asked why he should walk. Gandhiji’s confident understatement. reply was,” Every speck of dust I tread on will produce countless warriors of freedom.” “Yes; it did happen.” A new edition of this book will be worthwhile for our avers Chettiar. generation.

Published by: Bhuvaneswari Muralidharan and owned by / on behalf of Sevalaya and published from F2, Jains Eden Park, 4 - Judge Jambulingam Road, , Chennai - 600 004 and printed by: S.Kannappan @ Gem Offsets, 24 (Old no.-20), Swami Achari St., , Chennai - 600 014. Editor: T.S.Venkataramani

Send your comments to: Sevalaya, Kasuva, Pakkam (P.O.), Near Thiruninravur - 602 024, , India. Phone Nos. : 9444346699, 9444620286, 9444620289, (044) 26344243. E.mail : [email protected] visit at: www.sevalaya.org

March 2009 / Chennai Love All Serve All Page 4